Tainted Greek athlete to face disciplinary review

Thanou, who was banned in 2004 for two years for anti-doping rule violations stemming from that year's Athens Olympics, said late on Wednesday she would race in Beijing after meeting qualifying standards.

"If it is confirmed that she is on the list selected by the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC), a disciplinary commission will meet in Beijing next week to discuss this," IOC spokesperson Emmanuelle Moreau said.

"We have informed the Hellenic Olympic Committee by letter this week (that) should it select Thanou we intend to initiate a new procedure."

The HOC, which unlike some other national committees does not have an Olympic lifetime ban for drugs offenders, confirmed on Thursday that Thanou was on their final list of athletes for the Aug. 8-24 Games.

"She is on the list. I don't know if it was sent to organisers yesterday or will be sent today, but she is on this list," an HOC official told Reuters.

Thanou, who together with fellow sprinter and medals hope Costas Kenteris caused the biggest Olympic doping scandal in years when they missed a drugs test on the eve of the Athens Games, was forced to withdraw in disgrace and was then banned.

She has been eligible to compete since Dec. 2006 but has raced only occasionally since then. Thanou, who won silver in the 100m at the Sydney 2000 Games but is now, at 33, well past her prime, achieved her Beijing qualifying time some 10 days at a meeting on the Greek island of Crete.

The IOC had said in 2004 that as the two athletes surrendered their accreditations voluntarily their case was closed but the body retained the right to review their eligibility for future Games.

Thanou is not the only high-profile athlete making an Olympic comeback after a suspension. Hungarian discus thrower Robert Fazekas, who missed out on a gold medal in Athens due to a doping violation, qualified late on Tuesday.

Fazekas, who returned to competition in 2007 after a two-year ban, lost his Athens gold after failing to provide a sufficient urine sample.